If there is a high school senior in your house, this is the six week countdown to collegemageddon or the deadline for early admission college applications. That means your teen has a lot of work to do in a short period of time.

 

It is not enough to get the applications done. They have to be done well. The essays need to tell college admission officers things about your teen that are not otherwise obvious on the application...and they need to be a great read. Help your teen by offering to read his essays and offer suggestions (not criticism). As you read, ask yourself if it is interesting and concise and whether it demonstrates your teen's best qualities.

 

If your teen is planning to put off applying until regular application deadlines, encourage him to start on the essays now and start the applications now and save them.  A regular work schedule can help your teen get his work done with much less stress and better quality. Be a helpful partner in this process. Help your teen develop a calendar of deadlines and a schedule to get the work done.

 

Keep in mind that filing applications online should be done

before the day they are due. Most colleges warn students not to file on the last day because their system can be overwhelmed and that students bear responsibility for getting applications to the college.